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Seth Karlo · 05-10-2009, 07:10 PM,

Ok, with my Milkshape working again I've gotten the starsphere model and removed the textures, am now currently messing with the size/ambience etc.

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teschy · 05-10-2009, 07:24 PM,

I actually wanted to bring this idea up myself, we do need a new set of starspheres, especially in the upcoming gallic core systems. Those are great for a start Sleipnir, I'm sure you'll come up with some pretty amazing stuff in the future, if you already managed to crop that up so fast.

I wish I had the time to do this stuff myself, I was always interested in freelancer modding. Right now, I've got a bunch of exams do study for, and I don't wanna take my chances, if you know what I mean.

I'd probably begin to do some FL work this summer, after I hopefully succeed my exams.

Blodo · (This post was last modified: 05-10-2009, 07:25 PM by Blodo.)

Well, what about making a tutorial so that others can try a hand? I've been thinking about making a few new planet textures, cause for example every second planet in disco these days is a copy of Houston... Yes that is a completely different bag of balls, but point is I can help out in the starscape department if I know how:P

Treewyrm · 05-10-2009, 07:29 PM,

You can actually model custom starscapes rather than simply replacing textures, that is if you want to do something special, however that is a little more tricky given the limitations, milkshape and exporter issues. In short you can export model into .cmp with faces turned inwards and there you go. What you'll be missing is vertex channel transparency and that's currently not possible to do, at least I don't know.

Blodo, it's pretty simple, all you need is UTF editor, textures and then open up the starsphere files in data directory with it, locate "texture library" and then import your images DDS/TGA into MIPS/MIP0 nodes respectively.

Some of the abandoned stuff I made long time ago.

Model / Render / In-game 1 / In-game 2

Seth Karlo · 05-10-2009, 07:35 PM,

Yuri, if you imported the CMP, scaled it up, zoomed in and then worked from the inside, would that get around the vertex transparency issue?

EDIT: I also want to talk to you about building new planetscapes

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Treewyrm · 05-10-2009, 07:40 PM,

By vertex transparency I meant the vertex painting feature, look at the model link above, you can see areas on the surfaces which are black and white, specifying level of transparency the polygons have. This is how vanilla starspheres were made, so that at the edges the texture would fade into transparency. Nothing new here, many games utilize that feature to create soft transitions between various surfaces, for example transitions between grass and ground textures on the landscape, et cetera. However neither Milkshape nor, inherently, CMP/3DB exporter support that feature. So all you can do is to make panoramic render from 3ds MAX from such model and create a shell with six sides each having a texture rendered with 90 degree shift, creating an illusion due to seams being invisible. It's an old technique used for many games for skyboxes or skyspheres, both old and new, it can be used here as well.

Seth Karlo · 05-10-2009, 07:43 PM,

Ah, that's clever. Only problem is, it relies on people having 3ds Max. Which I can't get to crack D:

Also, check yer skype.

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worldstrider · 05-10-2009, 07:44 PM,

Comepletly excellent--no flattery intended. Just extremely well done.

ioha · 05-10-2009, 07:51 PM,

' Wrote:Well, what about making a tutorial so that others can try a hand? I've been thinking about making a few new planet textures, cause for example every second planet in disco these days is a copy of Houston... Yes that is a completely different bag of balls, but point is I can help out in the starscape department if I know how:P

Treewyrm beat me to it:)
Aye, that's how I do it, using the UTFEditor to edit the MIP nodes.

<strike>I've thought about the planet textures as well, however...</strike>

Edit: duh, didn't know you can just open/edit them with UTFEditor as well. It does seem planet editing is a bit more complicated though...

' Wrote:You can actually model custom starscapes rather than simply replacing textures, that is if you want to do something special, however that is a little more tricky given the limitations, milkshape and exporter issues. In short you can export model into .cmp with faces turned inwards and there you go. What you'll be missing is vertex channel transparency and that's currently not possible to do, at least I don't know.

Yes, I've thougt about trying out to model some myself later - I'd first like to get some experience when it comes to creating textures that fit for the systems. I guess any developer here is better at modeling those than I am though, but trying won't hurt. Thanks for the advices!

Also, those textures there are really great - as is the starsphere you modelled. I guess I've a long way to go.

Turkish · (This post was last modified: 05-10-2009, 08:14 PM by Turkish.)

There is a lot more that can be done for custom starspheres than just custom textures, when my time frees up again I can pass on some knowledge.

Edit: And the great Jelly one beat me to to it:P

I have a fetish for all things Norse.

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